Dijon is an important university city as well as one of France's main conference centres, so nightspots and cultural centres at both ends of the range are worth exploring. Place Émile Zola and rue Berbisey are good places to start a night out. The English theme pubs seem to be the liveliest.

L'Acropole , 4 bd du Dr-Petitjean. Gay bar located near the university on #9 bus route. Mon-Sat till 1am; closed Sun.

L'An-Fer , 8 rue Marceau. One of Dijon's livelier discos. Tues-Sat 10.30pm-3am, Fri & Sat till 4am. Admission weekdays 50F/¬7.62; weekends 60F/¬9.15.

Le Brighton , 33 rue Auguste-Comte. English pub with 200 different kinds of beer, and dancing. Summer 3pm-3am; winter 5pm-3am.

Café de la Cathédrale , 4 place St-Bénigne, next to the Café au Carillon . Two bars popular with students, in front of the cathedral. Both daily 6.30pm-1am.

Le Café des Grands Ducs , 96 rue de la Liberté. Popular rendezvous for young people, with original decor and table jukeboxes. Pricey. Daily till 2am winter, 3am summer.

Le Crocodil , rue Berbisey. Nice atmosphere, a good place for an afternoon coffee leading into an early evening drink. Mon-Sat till 2am.

Le Grand Café , rue du Château. A very pleasant bar/brasserie with an Art Deco interior.

Messire Bar , 3 rue Jules Mercier. Very Seventies bar, tucked away in a side street in the old town. Open till late night every night.

Pub Kilkenny , 1 rue Auguste-Perdrix. Noisy, popular Irish bar: draught Guinness and week-night Irish bands. Daily till 3am.

Rhumerie la Jamaïque , 14 place de la République. Cocktails (38-70F/¬5.79-10.67) and ice creams laced with alcohol in an exotic venue. Jazz bar in the basement. Daily except Sun 3pm-3am.

L'Univers , 47 rue Berbisey (tel 03.80.30.98.29). Check for rock concerts in the cellar. Open till midnight and later.